


Morior Invictus

by Noctem31



Series: Lux In Tenebris [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Dark, Dark Harry, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Royalty, Elemental Magic, F/M, Imperial Academy of Magic, International Dark Council, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Oblivious Harry Potter, Parent Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Parent Voldemort, Pureblood Culture, Pureblood Politics (Harry Potter), Purebloods (Harry Potter), Samhain, Sane Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Sane Voldemort, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slytherin, Slytherin Harry, Slytherin Harry Potter, Smart Harry Potter, Voldemort is Harry Potter's Parent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2020-10-28 15:03:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20780543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noctem31/pseuds/Noctem31
Summary: They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. With a war lurking on the horizon and enemies hiding behind every corner, the Dark Lord's son will need his friends more than ever.BOOK THREE -READ BOOK ONE: 'Carpe Omnia', AND BOOK TWO: 'Arcana Imperii' FIRST





	1. Black and Gold

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for sticking around for book three everyone. 
> 
> As always, All credit goes to our goddess J.K. Rowling. My story is just for fun. 
> 
> If I had to pick a theme song for this book it would be "Damaged" by John Lunn from Downton Abbey

_ **September 1992, The Imperial Academy Battle Grounds** _

Vasilis slowly peeked one eye out from behind the tree he was using as a hiding place. _ There, _he said to himself as he caught sight of his target. A shiny black flag with the golden Academy crest. 

He glanced to his left where Daphne Greengrass was ducked down behind a fallen log. He gestured for her to flank left before turning to look at Edmund Grey who was lurking behind him, hidden in the tall grass. His friend’s face was painted with various shades of green, black, and brown, as was his clothing. 

At the moment they were engrossed in an intense game of capture the flag. Under Professor Acciai’s tutelage they were practicing various battle tactics and dueling techniques. Vasilis, Edmund, Cygnus, Daphne, and Aetius made up Team Black, while Draco, Maddison, Blaise, Jasper Carlyle, and Sebastian Moreno, a Spanish student from Fireclaw made up Team Gold. 

Vasilis, Edmund and Daphne were attempting to make their way through the thick, dark forest to steal back their flag from the gold team, while Cygnus and Aetius guarded the gold team’s flag on the other side of the battle zone. 

Vasilis gestured for Edmund to flank right. He stayed hidden while Edmund quietly made his way through the forest. Once Edmund was gone he took another look at their flag from behind the tree. He only saw Sebastian there. The boy with dark curly hair and honey colored eyes held his wand in a loose grip. He wore camouflage like the rest of them, but the sword at his waist glinted in the sunlight. He looked relaxed, which put Vasilis on edge. _ Why was he relaxed? _

The rest of the gold team was nowhere in sight. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up suddenly, and he turned to see Blaise and Draco standing behind him. Before he could utter a single word they restrained him with tight ropes. Vasilis glared at them as they left him behind and ran in the opposite direction, towards the gold team’s flag

“Ambush,” he muttered angrily to himself. He should have realized. It was likely that Edmund and Daphne were in similar situations at the moment. 

He spoke a cutting spell under his breath and wandlessly cut the ropes. He quickly flanked right to find Edmund. He needed to hurry. Draco and Blaise were probably close to capturing their flag on the other side of the battlefield. 

Vasilis dropped onto his stomach as he came around a small bend. Edmund was hiding behind a tree, glancing over at their flag in the clearing, waiting for Vasilis’ signal. Jasper was sneaking up behind him slowly, silent as a shadow. Vasilis flicked his wand wordlessly, and Jasper fell to the ground with a groan. 

Edmund spun around with a shocked expression on his face. Vasilis ran to his side as quickly as he could without making too much noise. “Ambush,” he whispered. 

Edmund nodded and pointed to the black flag. “They may have reached their flag by now. We should grab ours while we can.” 

Vasilis looked out into the clearing, once again eyeing Sebastian cautiously. It was only the third week of classes, and he knew very little about the boy’s fighting style. 

“Let’s split up,” Vasilis said. “You grab the flag while I distract him.” 

Before Vasilis could turn to go Edmund’s hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. “Careful,” he warned. “He is a Moreno. They start training to fight from birth.” 

Edmund released his shoulder and turned to leave. Vasilis looked over to Sebastian before stepping into the clearing. Sebastian’s sharp eyes were on him instantly. Despite the threat before him, the shorter boy maintained his relaxed posture. 

With slow, smooth movements Sebastian removed the sword from its sheath at his waist. He held his wand gently in his left hand while he held the sword in his right. 

Sebastian then stood utterly still, waiting for Vasilis to make the first move. 

Vasilis quickly flicked his other wrist, sending his second wand from its holster into his hand. He wasn’t skilled enough with a sword to take on Sebastian in a fight. However, he was fairly skilled with two wands. He had spent months practicing. 

Without warning, Sebastian swung the sword in a high arc. Vasilis conjured a strong shield with his right hand to deflect the blow and cast a stunning spell with his left. 

Surprisingly enough Sebastian wasn’t thrown off balance by the shield. He took one graceful step back and spun to avoid the stunning spell. 

Vasilis took advantage of the fact that his back was turned and cast a mild blasting curse. Strong enough to hurt him, but not strong enough to do any major damage. Sebastian ducked down, avoiding the curse without looking. As the shorter boy spun back around to face Vasilis his foot hooked underneath a small broken log. He lifted his foot and sent the log flying towards his face. 

Vasilis cast another shield to prevent the log from hitting him, but as he did so he felt something wrap tightly around his ankle. It pulled and forced him flat onto his back. Before he could blink he felt something cold and sharp against his throat. 

Vasilis looked up. Sebastian was standing above him, gently pressing the sword against his exposed neck. The honey eyed boy’s face was blank. He didn’t seem neither pleased nor disappointed by the outcome of their fight. He simply… _ was. _Vasilis couldn’t think of a better way to describe him. 

Before either of them had the chance to speak, a loud BOOM sounded through the trees. The sound signaled the end of the game. Vasilis glanced behind Sebastian to see Edmund standing there with a boyish grin on his face. In his hand he held their black flag. They had won. 

Sebastian put away his sword and held out a hand with a small smile. Vasilis took it and allowed the honey eyed boy to pull him to his feet. No one had ever beaten him so quickly Vasilis realized. He guessed close contact fights suited Sebastian’s strengths. He was short and quick. It gave his opponents very little time to react. 

“If it were a duel,” the boy said in a thick Spanish accent. “You would have beaten me without much effort. In terms of raw power I think you will always win.” 

Vasilis smirked, “Would you teach me how to fight like you?” 

Sebastian tipped his head and eyed him critically. “You are bigger, so you are slower. I can teach you, but your style will differ from mine.” 

“Fair enough,” he said with a laugh. “I would like to learn.” 

Sebastian smiled again, “Okay.” 

* * *

After receiving a long lecture on the flaws in their battle plans, Professor Acciai’s students returned to their dorms to take showers. Vasilis slowly climbed the staircase leading into the Arrowedge dorms. He rubbed his shoulder gently, it was sore from his fight with Sebastian. 

“I can’t believe you managed to sneak up on me,” he told Draco. 

Draco looked smug. “What can I say, I am an exceptional wizard.” 

Cygnus scoffed behind them and Vasilis rolled his eyes. “Of course Draco,” he said. “Exceptional.” Edmund laughed at the petulant look on the blond's face.

The eyes of the many tapestries followed them as they made their way to their private dorm rooms. Vasilis closed his door behind him and locked it. As the founder and heir, his dorm was one of the largest in the castle. Located at the top of the Arrowedge tower, his dorm was shaped like a circle. The walls were painted a charcoal grey and filled with many bookshelves. Off to one side there was a king sized canopy bed surrounded by black fabric. Off to the other side was a fireplace surrounded by black and charcoal grey sofas. The Arrowedge dorms were mostly white and gold, but Vasilis prefered the dark relaxing atmosphere of his dorm room. Thankfully the goblins had made it easy for each student to decorate their dorms however they wished. 

His dragonhide boots clicked against the dark hardwood floors as he walked across the dorm to his bathroom. He kicked them off and discarded his camouflage clothing into a laundry basket in the corner. 

He spent a long time standing underneath the hot water, enjoying the way it relaxed his sore muscles. He washed all the dirt and sweat from his body before exiting the shower and dressing in a simple purple shirt oxford shirt and black trousers. He pulled on a fine dark purple robe and a clean pair of dragonhide boots before making his way over to his desk. He picked up a book on the uses of ancient runes in wards and met with Draco, Cygnus, and Edmund in the common room. Since their classes were over for the day, they were meeting the rest of their friends on the shore of the Crystal Loch. 

Together they walked the long path through the castle and out the main doors into the courtyard. Students were stretched out across the fountain reading their books, while others stood off to the side and talked with their friends or practiced spells. Some students turned to look at them as they went, but most simply continued on with their activities. 

The four boys glided through the open courtyard and proceeded on through the tall trees. They followed the worn path through the forest until the trees gave way to open water. They turned left and walked along the shore until they reached an ancient oak tree. 

Their friends were relaxing there. Caecilia, Felix, Theo, and Livia were all napping together on a thick grey blanket, their limbs twisting together awkwardly in sleep. George, Alecto, Fred, Maddison, and Cyprian were swimming in the lake, laughing quietly so not to wake their friends. 

Anakoni was resting his head in Izabela’s lap while he read, his friends sprawled out around him. Miles, Neville, Penelope, Aetius, Daphne, Blaise and Adrian were all sitting in a circle concentrating intently on a game of muggle cards. Vasilis could see the various coins in the grass between them. 

He felt a swell of happiness as he took in the sight of his friends. Those who noticed them approaching smiled in their direction. They all looked happier here than they ever did at Hogwarts. 

Vasilis conjured a blanket behind Blaise and lay down. He also conjured himself a pillow and made himself more comfortable. As watched the clouds move across the sky lazily above, he felt a profound sense of peace come over him. He had learned more in three weeks while attending the Academy than he ever did while attending Hogwarts. 

He wasn’t sure how to explain it, but this place felt like _ home. _ He missed his parents more than anything, but right here, surrounded by his friends, he felt happy. Here they were able to be themselves. They could practice dark magic without fear of punishment or expulsion. They were _ free. _

Vasilis let out a deep breath and smiled contently. He drifted peacefully to sleep while listening to the sounds of his friends around him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go check out my tumblr page @houseofbadplaces to read sneak peeks of new chapters! As well as other fanfiction!
> 
> Also, for those of you who haven't already, make sure to go and check out the fan art for this series! You can find it underneath the 'Lux In Tenebris,' series page.


	2. Dark Corridors and Yew Trees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me such a long time to write. It ended up being a pretty long chapter, but I hope you enjoy!

“May I sit here?” 

Vasilis looked up to see Sebastian standing there in a red Fireclaw uniform. The boys face was mostly neutral, but Vasilis thought he noticed a small spark of hope in his eyes. 

“Of course,” he replied as he pulled out the chair next to him. 

It was their first Politics, Culture, and International Studies class of the year. Headmaster Black delayed the class for the first three weeks of school, seeing as he had many responsibilities as a new headmaster. 

Sebastian sat gracefully and removed several sheets of parchment from his backpack. They relaxed in a contented silence as other students filter into the room. Ron was the very last to arrive. 

Vasilis raised an eyebrow as he took in the boys' appearance. Ron looked exhausted. Exhausted honestly didn’t even begin to cover it Vasilis decided. His red hair was messy and unwashed. His eyes were dark, and the lines around them made him look years older. His uniform was neat and tidy, but that was thanks to the house elves, not Ron’s personal habits. Vasilis doubted the boy would make it to the Yule holiday at this rate. 

The Dark Lord had been furious when he heard what Dumbledore had done. Originally, he wanted Ronald Weasley dead on the spot. After discussing it thoroughly, Vasilis convinced him it wasn’t necessary. Ron might eventually lead them to the real spy if they were careful. 

Vasilis snapped out of his musings as Headmaster Black swept into the room. 

“Good afternoon class,” he said as he moved to stand tall at the front of the room. “I would like to apologize for the late start to our class. There were many important matters I needed to attend to as headmaster. Now, let's not waste anymore time.” 

Vasilis dipped a quill in ink as his grandfather began his lecture. “Many of you are here because you come from politically powerful families,” he said. “And you need to learn how to become politically and culturally literate in order to carry on your family name. While others have no political power, and are simply hoping to gain it.” Headmaster Black took a moment to look at each student. “Whatever your reasons for taking this course, remember this. Knowledge is power. Here in this classroom, you will learn that power starts with influence. And in order to influence, you must _ know _who you are influencing. You must understand them, their culture, their history, their values, all of it. Without this foundation of understanding, your ability to gain power decreases significantly.” 

Vasilis glanced to his left and noticed Ron sitting up straight in his seat. The redhead looked much more awake than he did moments ago. He smirked slightly. Who knew Ron would be interested in a lesson taught by the patriarch of the Black family. 

The rest of the lesson passed by quickly, and class concluded with Headmaster Black assigning several chapters of readings from the textbook, as well as a detailed analysis essay of the chapters. 

One thing Vasilis enjoyed about the Academy was the opportunity for independent study. Since the number of hours spent in classes were rather limited due to their many courses, students were expected to spend a large amount of time studying on their own. They were expected to read ahead in textbooks, and read other books to expand their knowledge on their subjects. They were expected to read books that challenged the opinions of their textbooks so that they could come up with their own opinions. Most classes provided massive optional book lists for their students to pick from, and at the end of the year, students were tested on their understanding of their topics and opinions. Students were free to have their own opinions as long as they could support them with evidence. This method of learning allowed students to become critical thinkers instead of mindless robots regurgitating information taught by professors. 

Labs also gave students an opportunity to practice what they learned. Vasilis had labs in most of his subjects, and he found they were always his favorite part of class. In his opinion, being able to _ do _the things they learned about mattered just as much as learning about them in the first place. 

Some of his classes, such as Martial Arts, Weaponry, Animagus Training, and Dueling, Battle Tactics & Strategy consisted mostly of practical lessons. Being able to duel, or practice martial arts was far more important than just knowing the history of the subjects

As Vasilis exited the classroom he looked down at his schedule. Before classes started, he and his father decided he shouldn’t take take Herbology or History of Magic. They were both subjects he could study in his spare time, and he had already passed his O.W.L.S. in the subjects. His father insisted it would be more important to take courses that would be useful to the war effort. Vasilis was to be a leader, he needed to prioritize his time and energy.

“Vasilis?” someone asked quietly in a Spanish accent. 

He turned to find Sebastian standing there, staring at him with honey colored eyes. “You asked me to teach you?” He said. “After dinner maybe?” 

“Yes,” Vasilis said with a smile. “After dinner would be perfect.”

“Okay. Meet in the courtyard?” 

Vasilis nodded, “I will see you then.” 

* * *

Vasilis collapsed onto his bed after his final class of the day. He was exhausted after attending his weaponry class. Professor Hirai had made it his personal mission to turn his students into the world’s most well trained fighters. 

He insisted that they begin the day meditating and fighting with the sunrise, and end the day with a weapon in their hand. Professor Hirai had been given special permission to start his Martial Arts class early in the morning after insisting he could only teach students the art as the sun was rising. He was an eccentric man, but he was also an excellent teacher. In just a few weeks Vasilis’ fighting skills had improved significantly. However, after a full day of hard work his limbs felt heavy and his mind was sluggish. So he took a quick shower before climbing underneath the black duvet of his soft bed. 

He drifted off, and woke an hour later feeling refreshed. He glanced at the wizarding clock on his wall and noticed he had an hour and a half until dinner. Realizing it had been a long while since he had spoken to his entire inner circle, he decided to call a meeting. They needed to have regular meetings if they were to work as a fine tuned machine. 

He quickly dressed in all black, and made sure his wand holsters were tied snugly to his forearms before pressing his wand to the brown leather band on his wrist. He closed his eyes and thought of a room in the dungeons of the castle, a large room he had built personally with his father. ‘_ Meeting in 10 minutes’, _he thought as he sent his message through the leather band. 

He opened his eyes and left his private room with Alekos trailing behind him. His beloved familiar had grown rather large recently, and Vasilis was having a difficult time carrying him through the castle as he had done in the past. Now, Alekos simply followed closely behind him wherever he went. Academy students now knew to tread carefully whenever Vasilis was near, for Alekos would never be far behind. 

Vasilis could feel the happiness radiating from his snake as he followed. Alekos was free to roam the Academy as he pleased, and he no longer had to worry about staying hidden. Vasilis smirked as he remembered the story Alekos told him two days earlier. Apparently, his familiar had quickly made himself the leader of the snake community in and around the Academy. The snakes now acted as Alekos’ spies, which was something Vasilis was rather grateful for. They needed all the help they could get. 

Together, Vasilis and Alekos made their way through the castle. Students gave them a wide berth as they walked through the corridors. Not many students had the courage to go near a large black snake with glowing red eyes. Not many students had the courage to go near Vasilis himself actually. 

Despite the fact that many students came from noble backgrounds, not many were willing to cross the-most-powerful-Dark-Lord-in-a-century’s son. Besides, it was easy for them to feel his magic whenever he was near. Vasilis had nearly perfect control over his magic, and he purposely released it whenever he wandered the castle. In terms of raw power, no one else could even come close. Vasilis wasn’t sure if he would ever be as powerful as his father, but he was sure he would at least come close once he grew older. It was in his blood after all. 

Vasilis and Alekos made there way through the castle’s corridors until they reached the dark dungeons. The way was only lit by green and black lanterns hanging from the high ceilings.

He continued on, enjoying the feeling of the darkness surrounding him. He had to admit, he loved the Academy dungeons. There were miles of twisting tunnels in every direction. It was like a maze, and anyone unfamiliar with the tunnels would quickly find themselves lost. 

Vasilis and his father had explored the tunnels and mapped them shortly before the beginning of the term. They found many interesting things during their expedition. Many tunnels leading out of the castle and into the horses stables, the mountains, and the forest. They also found many storage rooms filled with magical artifacts, prison cells, vast empty rooms, and magical statues.

The Academy dungeons felt _ old. _Much older than Peverell Castle. The Dark Lord had guessed that the dungeons had existed for hundreds of years before Peverell Castle as an underground city, or a bunker of some kind. The Peverells must have purposely built a castle on top of the dungeons in order to preserve them. 

Luckily, there were marble statues at every turn. If one could remember the locations of various statues, they could find their way through the dungeons. 

Vasilis turned left at a statue of an old man. He turned right when he reached a statue of two battling wizards, and left at a statue of a young wizard dying in another wizards arms. 

After walking down a long straight stretch of corridor, he came to a dead end. There he found Felix and Caecilia waiting for him. They stood in the corner, heads close together whispering intensely. 

“What is going on?” Vasilis asked with a frown as he stopped. He narrowed his eyes as his two followers looked startled. 

“We have something to tell you,” Caecilia said. 

Vasilis considered them for a moment before waving his hand and wandlessly casting a privacy ward. “Alright, tell me.” 

His two followers looked relieved. Caecilia took a deep breath, “I found out something problematic My Prince… about the twins.” 

“And?” he prompted, raising an eyebrow. 

“I was in the Silvermoon common room late last night, studying in one of the alcoves,” she said. “Fred and George were there standing by the aquarium whispering to one another. The common room was completely empty except for the three of us, and they didn’t know I was there so they didn’t bother with a privacy ward. I cast an amplifying spell so I could hear them, and I heard them talking about their plans for the summer holiday.” 

She paused and looked to Felix for a moment before continuing, “They were talking about stealing enough money to buy an extendable tent. One large enough for them to live in for a few months until the start of the new school year.”

Vasilis’ eyebrows went up. “They are no longer going to live with their family?” 

“I am not sure of the exact circumstances My Prince, but I am fairly certain that is the case.” 

“I will talk to them after the meeting,” Vasilis replied. “I will find out what is going on.” 

Caecilia looked relieved. “Thank you My Prince. We just… we just don’t want them to think they have to live like that. They are part of the Inner Circle. They don’t deserve that.” 

Vasilis shook his head. “No, of course not. I will speak with them.” 

Caecilia and Felix nodded. Together, the three of them turned to face the large set of stone doors. Vasilis tapped his wand to the carved Slytherin crest and the doors opened to admit them. Thanks to his father’s work, only a Slytherin heir, or those given permission by the Slytherin heir could access the room.

They stepped into a grand room designed to look like the Slytherin common room. Despite the fact that they had abandoned Hogwarts to attend the Academy, Vasilis _ was _ a descendent of Salazar Slytherin. It was important to his family to bring a piece of Slytherin with them to the Academy. Vasilis and his father had thought it appropriate that they build a secret room to honor their ancestor. 

The secret room’s walls looked as if they were carved out of the stone, creating a cave-like appearance. It was a grand space with tall pillars and oversized fireplaces. There were green lamps hanging from the ceiling and comfortable black leather sofas spread about. Bright green exotic magical plants were hanging from the walls. The entire back wall of the secret room was made of glass, giving them a clear view of the Crystal Loch and everything that lived within. 

Despite being underground, the room was warm and welcoming. The blazing fireplaces radiated heat and comfort throughout the large space.

On the back left side of the room, parallel to the glass window, was a carved wooden table with just enough chairs for the inner circle. Everyone was present except for the three of them, and they quickly took their places. Vasilis sat at the head of the table, his back to the wall and the lake next to him. He glanced at the twins, and even though they were both wearing smiles, he could see the worry in their eyes. He would have to speak with them after the meeting. If they were no longer welcome with their family, he would have to make other accommodations for them. He wasn’t about to allow them to live in a tent. Even the idea of such a thing made anger flare up within him. 

He forced himself to calm down before beginning the meeting. 

“Good evening everyone. We haven’t had a meeting in a long while, so let's begin with any updates or reports on your end.” 

Cyprian lifted his wand and Vasilis tipped his head in the golden brown haired boy’s direction. “I have begun speaking to Ron on a regular basis. He was very hesitant at first, but I believe he is starting to trust me. I believe I will eventually be able to convince him that I want to leave the dark.”

“Good,” Vasilis said. “You should give me regular updates in the journals. Tell me anything he says that might be useful.” 

“Compliment him on his chess playing skills,” George said to Cyprian. “He’ll love you for it.” Fred nodded in agreement. 

“Has any progress been made in finding the spy?” Vasilis asked. 

Draco raised his wand to Vasilis’ right. “No My Prince. It could be anyone at this point, professor or student. Though I believe we can rule out anyone in the Dark Order.” 

Vasilis sighed. He figured that would be their answer, but it didn’t make it any less irritating. “My father has assigned Severus Snape, Barty Jr., and Rabastan Lestrange to the task of finding them. I will be meeting with them soon to find out how their search is progressing.” 

“Are we sure there is a spy?” Theo asked. 

“I am almost certain of it,” Vasilis replied. “Dumbledore isn’t an idiot. He knows he needs information to win the war. The Dark Order has more members and better funding, he needs every advantage he can get. He may even have multiple spies for all we know.” 

Aetius raised his wand. “How _ is _the war going?”

“We are making slow progress. My father is filling various positions in the Ministry with his followers, but there is pushback from the Order of the Phoenix. Right now they have the advantage. Hopefully that will change in the near future.” 

“I thought Dumbledore lost support after the Rita Skeeter article?” Draco asked. 

“Not among the Order of the Phoenix,” Vasilis replied with a roll of his eyes. “They are still just as devoted as ever apparently.”

Changing the subject he asked, “How are your classes going? Is anyone struggling? You all know I have high expectations. If anyone needs help speak up now and we will make arrangements.” 

Aetius raised his wand with a bashful smile. “I need help in martial arts. I am having trouble getting the movements down.”

“You can train with Draco and I on Sundays, we will help you,” Vasilis said. “Anyone else?”

“I am struggling in Arithmancy,” Alecto Rowle announced. 

“I can help you,” Theo replied. 

“Me too,” Livia added. “It’s one of my favorite classes.” 

“Good,” Vasilis said with a nod. “Anyone else?”

When no one else spoke up, he continued, “If any of you begin to struggle in any of your courses, make sure you come to me immediately. We must support and encourage each other if we are to succeed. The Academy is not meant to be easy.” The inner circle nodded in agreement. 

“How do you like this room?” He asked. 

“It’s brilliant,” Daphne breathed. “It’s so similar to the Slytherin common room. May we come here whenever we like?” 

Vasilis nodded, “Yes you may. I have altered the wards to admit you. You are free to come and go when you please. Just make sure you aren’t being followed and be careful to not get lost down here. Always carry your journals just in case you do happen to get lost. That way we can come and find you.” 

“By the way,” Cygnus began. “What should we call this place? I mean, calling it the ‘secret room’ in public doesn’t exactly help us keep it a secret. Everyone will wonder what where we are going.”

“Call it whatever you like,” Vasilis said with a shrug. “You can all discuss it and decide.” 

They all began discussing it amongst themselves, so Vasilis stood and walked halfway down the table to the Weasley twins. He bent down and whispered, “Come with me, I would like to discuss something with you.” 

The twins stood easily and followed him. They sat down across from him on a leather sofa in front of one of the fireplaces. Vasilis cast a privacy ward before asking, “What are your plans for the summer holiday?”

He wanted to give them a chance to explain their situation. 

They looked at one another hesitantly, but in the end they stayed silent. He sighed and leaned forward in his seat, “I am your leader. You must trust me to take care of you.” 

“We just,” Fred began. “We just don’t know what to do.” He sounded broken. 

“We can’t live at home anymore,” said George. “It’s awful. We never get along with our parents and we always argue. We just don’t _ belong _there anymore, we are too different.” 

“I will make arrangements,” Vasilis promised. He gave them a meaningful look, “Either way, you will not be living in a tent. Do you understand? You are part of my inner circle. If you ever need help again you better come to me. I swore to take care of all of you.” 

“We don’t want to be a burden,” they said simultaneously, both looking rather distraught.

Vasilis held up a hand. “I have more than enough resources to take care of each and every one of you. You will never be a burden. When you agreed to serve me, you immediately handed me your life. Your life is important to me. I will not allow you to go without a home.” 

The twins looked at each other, relief plain in their expressions.

Vasilis stood, “You will spend Yule with the Malfoys and I will make other arrangements for the summer holidays. You don’t need to worry anymore, just concentrate on your studies. I will handle it.” 

He then reached into his pocket and took out his money pouch. He counted out 200 galleons, and gave them each 100. “This should be enough to buy any supplies you might need over the next couple of months. Is there anything in particular you need immediately?” 

“We don’t think so My Prince,” replied George, who was still looking at the money in his hands. “This is more money than we have ever owned. We couldn’t possibly accept more.” 

Vasilis shook his head. “If you need anything else you _ will _come to me. Do you understand?” 

“Yes My Prince,” they said together. 

* * *

Together the inner circle walked to the great hall for dinner. “Did you guys decide on a name?” Fred asked Draco. 

“Yes,” he replied. “We decided on ‘The Garden’, that way no one has any idea what we are talking about.” 

George frowned. “Why The Garden? Seems odd.” 

“It looks like a garden down there,” Draco said with a shrug. “Its green and there are plants hanging all over the place. We thought it was appropriate. Besides, it was Daphne’s idea so you probably don’t want to piss her off.”

The twins shuddered and Vasilis snorted in an undignified manner. No one dared to get on Daphne’s bad side. It was a disaster waiting to happen. 

They all split up once they reached the Great Hall and went to their house tables. Vasilis sat next to Edmund and Draco during dinner. He ate a large plate of lasagne, and had tiramisu for dessert. Once his plate was clean, he sipped quietly from a steaming cup of tea with sugar and honey. He listened as his friends talked about their animagus training. 

“I can’t wait for this Saturday,” Draco said with bright eyes. “We will finally get to start our training.” 

“What do you think your form will be?” Edmund asked. 

“I will be a leopard. Or maybe a viper,” Replied Draco in an excited tone. 

Neville leaned over and whispered into Vasilis ear, “20 galleons says his form is a peacock.” 

“You’re on,” Vasilis said with a smirk. The two shook hands subtly so Draco wouldn’t notice. 

“What do you guys think you will be?” Draco asked the rest of them. 

“I have no idea,” Vasilis replied with a shrug. It could be anything really. 

Neville nodded, “Same here. We won’t know until we do the test.” 

“I can’t believe it all takes so long,” Draco muttered. 

On Saturday they would each begin the process of becoming an animagus. Rabastan had insisted they take the first few weeks of classes to study the process. He wouldn’t allow them to begin until they memorized each and every step by heart. Rabastan even made them make the animagus potion several times to ensure their potions skills were adequate enough. 

First they needed to survive a whole month with a mandrake leaf in their mouths. They couldn’t swallow it or spit it out at any time, otherwise they had to start the whole process over. According to the texts, they needed to begin on a full moon, and they couldn’t take out the leaf until the following full moon. Luckily, Saturday was at full moon so they could finally begin. 

Almost every inner circle member was in Rabastan’s class. In fact, Rabastan’s class was among the biggest in the entire school. Everyone wanted to become an animagus, so Headmaster Black had been forced to bring in assistants to help Rabastan manage all of his students. It was a dangerous magical journey and one man alone couldn’t ensure the safety of so many students. 

Becoming an animagus would be a long and tedious process, but Vasilis knew it would be worth it. Besides, if his parents managed it, he knew he could manage it as well. 

* * *

Dinner ended a short while later, and Vasilis found Sebastian waiting for him in the courtyard near the grand fountain. Vasilis nodded in Sebastian’s direction as he approached, and together they walked through the court yard and into the forest. 

Sebastian glanced back at Alekos’ trailing behind them, “Why does it always follow?” He asked. 

“He is my protection,” Vasilis replied easily. “And he is my friend.” 

Sebastian accepted this answer with a nod as they entered a small clearing. At the center of the clearing was an ancient yew tree. It had giant twisting limbs and a trunk larger than any he had ever seen. It was at least several hundred years old, and Vasilis wondered about all the things it had seen during its lifetime. 

“Beautiful,” he breathed. 

“All things are beautiful,” Sebastian said in his thick Spanish accent. “Trees, water, food, wine, fighting, love… everything is beautiful.” 

Vasilis nodded thoughtfully, “I think you are right.” 

“Fighting is especially beautiful. It is complex.” Sebastian pulled his sword from the sheath at his waist. He gestured to it, “When I fight with this sword, I don’t _ just _fight with this sword. I use everything around me. Does that make sense?” 

“I understand,” Vasilis said as he shifted to stand lightly on the balls of his feet. 

He pointed the sword at the ground. “When we were fighting before, I kicked a log to distract you. It worked.” 

“Yes it did,” Vasilis admitted. 

“Many wouldn’t do that. They would only fight with the sword,” Sebastian said seriously. “You must not do the same. You must remember that everything is beautiful and everything is to be considered when fighting. You must be like water, not like a stone.” 

Vasilis frowned, “I am afraid I don’t understand.” 

Sebastian stepped a little closer and made smooth movements with his free hand, “Water moves around things, right? A stone does not move. Water will move around the stone, but eventually the stone will shape to the water’s will. The stone is strong, but it cannot last. It is the water that will win in the end.” 

“I… I think I understand,” Vasilis said with a frown. 

Sebastian chuckled quietly. “You do not understand, _ yet, _but you will.” 

He shrugged, “Okay, then teach me.” 

“I already am teaching you,” said the shorter boy. He then began a complex set of movements. He stepped forward gracefully with his right foot and slowly swung his sword in a wide arc. He then stepped back and made a low stabbing motion. 

He continued these movements for about 10 minutes while Vasilis watched. Each movement was slow and deliberate. Each step was light and perfectly balanced. Sebastian had complete control over his body. It was like he was practicing a routine, or a fighting sequence of some kind. Vasilis was in awe. 

Eventually Sebastian stopped. He turned to Vasilis, breathing slightly harder than before, “Fighting is beautiful if it is done correctly. I will teach you what I can.” 

Vasilis smirked slightly, “I will learn.”

He was on his back before he could even blink. 

Sebastian smirked from where he stood above him. “We will see Prince Slytherin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback is appreciated! I always read the comments even if I don't always respond!
> 
> BTW I have a tumblr page called Houseofbadplaces where I will be posting some of my fanfiction as well as sneak peeks of future chapters for this series. I have posted one for chapter three there already!


	3. Spies and Mandrake Leaves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like this! Please leave kudos and reviews below!! I would really appreciate it.

Vasilis climbed the wide staircase leading to the headmaster’s office on the highest floor of the castle. At the top of the staircase, two golden dire wolf statues stood on either side of a set of large wooden doors, carved with the Academy crest. 

Earlier that morning, he received a letter from his grandfather asking him to come to his office after class. He wasn’t sure why his grandfather wanted to see him, so he simply knocked on the door and waited. 

The doors swung open several seconds later, revealing a grand rectangular room. Each corner of the room was supported by a stone pillar, and the far wall was charmed to be transparent, giving an excellent view of the Crystal Loch and the forest. 

At the very center of the room was a sizable mahogany desk covered in papers and quills, and standing in front of it was Vasilis’ father. 

Vasilis grinned and ran to hug him. His grin widened when he felt his father’s arms wrap around him. It had been weeks since he last saw his father and he had been missing him greatly.

He pulled away after a moment, and the two moved over to a small sitting area in the corner of the room. 

“Why are you here?” Vasilis asked curiously. “And how did you get here without anyone noticing?” 

The Dark Lord rolled his eyes, “There are many ways to get in without being seen.” 

Vasilis smiled sheepishly as his father continued, “Anyways, I am here because I wanted to see my son and I needed to meet with my followers.” 

Just then there was a polite knock on the door. The Dark Lord waved his hand, wandlessly opening the door. Severus, Rabastan, Rodolphus, and Barty entered the room and bowed deeply. 

“Have a seat,” the Dark Lord said quietly. 

Rabastan and Barty quickly took their seats while Severus walked slowly with Rodolphus who was leaning heavily on his cane. 

“Are you okay?” Vasilis asked him with a frown. 

Rodolphus nodded, “I’m fine. Just a little sore today.” 

The two men joined them in the sitting area. Vasilis asked an Academy elf to bring them coffee and tea, as well as pain medication for Rodolphus from the infirmary. Rodolphus tipped back the pain medication gratefully as Vasilis and the others poured themselves drinks. 

Vasilis added honey to his coffee as he glanced over at Rodolphus. His godfather looked tired, as if he had been in pain for quite some time and had been unable to sleep. Vasilis glanced over at his father and noticed he was also eyeing Rodolphus. He would have to talk with him after the meeting. 

“Alright then,” the Dark Lord began as he leaned back regally in his chair. “I would like progress reports from each of you.” 

“I am afraid I don’t have much to report My Lord,” Barty said as he adjusted his robes. “I have been keeping my ear low to the ground, but I haven’t heard anything negative about you or the Dark Prince since the start of the year. The only student who ever says anything is the Weasley boy.” 

“And professors?” The Dark Lord asked. “What about Sirius Black?”

“He seems to enjoy his role My Lord,” Barty said with a smirk. Severus coughed. 

The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow, “Severus?” 

The black eyed man cleared his throat, “I do find him to be rather annoying My Lord, but I do not believe he is involved with Dumbledore.” 

“And how was your last meeting with the old man?” 

“It… it didn’t go well My Lord,” Severus said seriously. “It is obvious he no longer trusts me. I believe he may have found out about my marriage to Rodolphus. I am not sure how he came by this information, but either way, I doubt I will be able to gain any useful information from him in the future.” 

The Dark Lord let out a slow breath, “I believe your years as a spy for the Dark Order are over Severus. If I send you back he will have you killed eventually.”

The relief on Severus’ face was clear. It was obvious he had been afraid of being sent back to Dumbledore. 

“Thank you for your service all of these years Severus,” The Dark Lord continued. “ I will be sure to find you another position that suits your many talents.” 

“Thank you My Lord,” Severus added as he tipped his head in a small bow. “However, I think this confirms our fears of a spy here in the Academy. Someone told Dumbledore. The question is, how are they smuggling information through the secrecy wards?” 

“That is the question," he sighed. "I agree. We need to work harder to find this person. Do you have anything to report Rabastan?” 

Rabastan brushed his wavy, chestnut colored hair out of his face. “I am afraid not My Lord. The students seem to enjoy studying here at the Academy, and they appear to hold the Dark Prince in high regard. Most are simply afraid of him. No particular student or professor stands out as a potential spy.” 

“This is very problematic,” the Dark Lord replied. He looked at Vasilis, “I am afraid we are going to have to restore your security detail. You will have Alekos and at least one person from your inner circle with you at all times.” 

Vasilis sighed, he was afraid of this happening. He didn’t appreciate the lack of privacy, but he knew it wasn’t worth arguing with his father. One didn’t argue with the man. He simply nodded, “Yes father.” 

A while later after everyone had left, Vasilis turned to his father. “Are you sure there is nothing we can do for Rodolphus?” 

“Sometimes there are things even magic cannot fix,” his father said in a regretful tone. 

Vasilis frowned and thought hard for a moment. He looked down at his arm, the one his father created for him. Gold glittered in the sunlight as he turned it over to watch the charmed snakes slither around. “We have to convince him to let you replace his leg. There is no reason he should suffer like this, and besides, he would be extremely helpful in battle.” 

“I will speak with him again,” his father said. 

Vasilis nodded, then hesitated before saying, "There is something else I need to discuss with you."

"What is it?" his father asked curiously. 

"The Weasley twins have left home. They can no longer live there, the tensions are too high.”

The Dark Lord tipped his head to the side, “And where are they staying now?” 

Vasilis threw his hands up, “Nowhere! They were going to live in an extendable tent I guess. I told them they could stay with the Malfoys for Yule, but I don’t know where they will stay afterwards.” He put his hands on his hips. “They could stay here in the castle I suppose, but I think they deserve better than that.” 

Vasilis’ father looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, “I will see if there is a dark family willing to take them in. They are dark, and dark witches and wizards must look out for one another.” 

“Thank you Father,” Vasilis replied, feeling relieved. He had been worried about the twins. He wanted to do everything he could to help them, but he simply didn’t have the resources to give them a family. He needed his father to help him with that. 

“How is mother?” He asked as his father finished his tea. “She wrote me a letter the other day about how much she misses being involved in the war effort.” 

“She is rather eager for the twins to be born so she can return to her position,” his father admitted with a smirk, “But other than that, she is doing well. Both her and the twins are healthy.” 

“I miss her,” Vasilis admitted in a sad tone. 

“I know,” the Dark Lord said with a sympathetic nod. “You will have to floo to the Villa soon to visit her. She misses you too.” 

* * *

The following day Vasilis met his friends in the Great Hall. It was Saturday, so they normally had animagus training shortly after breakfast. However, today’s lesson needed to take place during the full moon, so class was postponed until just before midnight. Draco was nearly bouncing out of his seat and Vasilis had to put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. “Relax Draco, we are only starting the first step today. We have a very long way to go before we even figure out what our forms are.” 

“Who cares!” Said Draco with a smile on his face. “This is huge Vasilis. We are literally going to be able to turn into animals.” 

“It could take years before we even manage it so calm down,” Vasilis repeated with a small smile. “I don’t want you to accidentally swallow the mandrake leaf.” 

Draco grinned one more time before turning enthusiastically to his dinner. Vasilis smirked at the way Draco made sure to eat with perfect pureblood manners despite his intense excitement. He turned back to his own dinner and ate slowly, taking breaks in between to drink his steaming cup of peppermint tea. 

When the clock hit 6:30pm, Vasilis met the rest of his inner circle outside of the Great Hall. After spending the whole day studying and working on assignments, they were going to ride horses on the grounds until curfew. Blaise gave them a smile as he began walking next to Vasilis. Draco quickly pulled him into a conversation about their animagus forms, and soon Blaise was grinning widely.

Cyprian began walking on Vasilis’ other side several moments later. He whispered quietly in his ear, “My Prince, Ron and I will be studying together later tomorrow in the Raventhorn study rooms. He is struggling to keep up with the homework so I promised I would help him.” 

Vasilis nodded, feeling pleased with this new development. “Good,” he said. “Make sure Ron doesn’t fail his classes. He is more useful here, I don’t want him to get expelled for bad grades.” 

Cyprian looked concerned hearing this, “My Prince, I hate to disobey, but I also have to study for my own classes.”

“I will have someone help you.” Vasilis reassured him quietly. “I know it is a lot to ask, but I will make sure someone assists you. Is that acceptable?” 

“Of course My Prince,” he replied, looking relieved. 

“Besides. I am hoping eventually he will get into a habit of doing his work,” Vasilis added. “Hogwarts abetted student laziness. Maybe he will become more motivated over time.” 

Cyprian looked skeptical, “I’m not so sure about that My Prince, but we will see.” 

“Just do your best for now. If things don’t go according to plan, we will deal with it later.” 

His former Hufflepuff nodded, obviously feeling much more comfortable with the task assigned to him. 

The group eventually reached the massive stables. There were dozens of well trained horses inside, and they each took their time picking a horse suited to their tastes. The twins chose a two grey horses who also happened to be twins. Draco and Blaise helped Cyprian pick out a horse since he had very little experience working with them. 

Daphne and Maddison each chose two temperamental colts while Vasilis wandered the stalls. He eventually came across a stall in the far back corner of the stables. He approached the angry looking black horse cautiously, and read the name carved into the door. “Asmodeus,” he whispered, frowning. “They named you after a Prince of Hell, hmm?” 

Vasilis released his dark magic and allowed it to surround the horse. He knew his magic was comforting to dark magic practitioners and creatures. After several moments, he reached out. He gently placed a hand on the horses nose. He smiled when some of the anger left Asmodeus’ eyes. “That’s a good boy,” Vasilis said. “Not so bad, are you?” 

Just as Asmodeus was beginning to relax under his attention, one of the house elves tending to the stables popped into existence next to him. 

“No Master Dark Prince sir!” The elf shouted frantically. 

Vasilis jerked back as the anger returned to the horse’s eyes. It stomped its feet and snorted loudly. 

He turned to look at the house elf with an irritated expression. “Don’t do that,” he ordered. “What is the matter?” 

“I is sorry Master Dark Prince sir. But this horse is evil!” The elf twisted his hands nervously. “Very dangerous. Almost hurt the elves Master sir.” 

Vasilis looked back at the horse and watched him carefully. After awhile he shook his head. “No I don’t think he is. I just think he hasn’t gotten the care that he needs. He’s different.” He glanced down at the elf. “You can leave, I will be fine. I am perfectly capable of handling him.” 

“But,” the elf began, but Vasilis held up a hand. 

“Leave,” he repeated gently. “I will handle it.” 

The elf popped away, and Vasilis once again went about calming Asmodeus. Eventually he felt comfortable enough opening the stall. He slowly entered and used his magic to levitate and strap on a leather saddle. Asmodeus stood perfectly still throughout the process, and Vasilis made sure to continuously talk to him in a gentle voice to keep him calm. 

Once everything was ready, Vasilis once again pet Asmodeus. “That’s a good boy,” he said. “Are you ready to get out of here?” 

Asmodeus snorted quietly, so he took that as a yes. He placed one foot in the stirrup and swung his leg over until he was comfortably seated in the saddle. He picked up the reins and gently eased Asmodeus forward. 

He led the horse out of the stables to where his friends were already waiting. Fred whistled, “Could you have picked a more sinister looking horse Vasilis?” 

He smirked, “His name is Asmodeus. I think I’m going to keep him.” 

“Of course his name is Asmodues,” Theo murmured with a shake of his head. 

Vasilis simply ignored them and slowly urged Asmodeus into a canter as they followed the trails through the forest. Eventually they were galloping rapidly, and Vasilis realized Asmodeus was the fastest horse he had ever ridden. It took a lot of effort not to fall off of the saddle, but luckily his training had strengthened him over the past few weeks. 

Now he understood why Asmodeus was so irritable. He loved to run, and no one had been brave enough to ride him since the start of the term 

He fell into a rhythm and barely noticed when the others began to fall behind. Eventually he slowed and waited for them to catch up. 

They were panting loudly when they finally reached him. “Bloody hell,” said Blaise. “That horse is mad.” 

Vasilis glanced down at Asmodeus and smirked, “I like him.” The group collectively rolled their eyes. 

Vasilis simply sighed in return and gestured for them to follow. Together they spent the rest of the evening exploring the various trails around the castle. 

  


* * *

As the clock slowly ticked closer to midnight, the inner circle met outside of the Animagus Training classroom. Maddison and Daphne ran over to them in their black animagus uniforms, both obviously excited. 

According to their books, and according to Rabastan, it was better to avoid bright light and bright colors while working on their transformations. For this very reason, each student in the Animagus Training course owned an all black Academy uniform. 

It was also why their animagus class was always subject to schedule changes. Most days, while they were just learning how to create the potion, or learning about the transformation process, class took place at its normal time after breakfast on Saturday. However, any day they were to physically work on their steps to become an animagus, class began just before midnight. Classes might even take place on days other than Saturday to coordinate with the phases of the moon. Rabastan made sure to warn each of them of the class’s inconsistent schedule their very first day. He also gave them the option to drop out of the course with no consequences after learning about the class schedule and dangers of becoming an animagus. 

Only four students quit, one Silvermoon and three Raventhorns. Vasilis couldn’t blame them. Becoming an animagus was a dangerous and time consuming process. Besides, logically speaking, there might not be any benefits to becoming an animagus if one had a useless animal form. He was actually surprised more Raventhorn and Silvermoon students didn’t drop out. They were generally more logical and thoughtful, though he guessed their natural curiosity probably won out. The Fireclaw and Arrowedge students were far too stubborn to quit. 

Daphne threw her arm around Draco’s shoulders, while Maddison threw her arm around Blaise’s. 

“Look at these handsome young men,” Maddison said to Daphne. “Aren’t we lucky?” 

“Very lucky,” Daphne replied with a smirk. Both Draco and Blaise blushed furiously while Vasilis, Cyprian, and Theo laughed. 

“Thanks,” Draco whispered, looking both flustered and pleased. This only made Maddison and Daphne grin, causing the rest of the group to shiver. 

Cyprian leaned over and asked, “Why did we allow them to become best friends again?” 

“We heard that,” Daphne said as she shot him a glare. 

“Careful Cyprian,” Vasilis warned him with a smile. “You don’t want to get on their bad side. I won’t protect you.” 

Cyprian sent them both a shy, apologetic smile as they all entered the classroom together. 

The classroom they used for Animagus Training was about half the size of the Great Hall, with vast windows and a dome-like ceiling made of glass. 

Rabastan was standing at the center of the room with his three assistants, Lewis Camden, Clara Winfield, and Stella Mercer. Rabastan’s assistants were all trusted members of his father’s outer circle, and were all trained anigmi. Lewis was a rabbit, Clara was an impala, and Stella was a black mamba. They had each been hand picked by the Dark Lord. 

If he were honest, Vasilis thought Lewis Camden was rather insufferable. The man walked around with more confidence than the Dark Lord himself, and he wasn’t sure why his father had chosen him. Lewis talked to the students as if they were his slaves. The round faced man constantly looked down his crooked nose at them, and Vasilis found it infuriating. Lewis had not behaved disrespectfully towards him yet or his inner circle yet, so the Dark Prince was simply waiting patiently until the day he made a mistake. 

Vasilis smirked slightly as he eyed the assistant. It had been awhile since he last cast the _ cruciatus curse _. He supposed a rabbit might make a decent target for practice. 

On the other hand, Vasilis quite liked Clara and Stella. They were both polite and intelligent. They were patient when explaining concepts, and reassured students whenever they became nervous. He would make sure to speak highly of them to his father later on. 

Vasilis and the other students formed a circle around Rabastan and the assistants. They each pulled on their black dragon hide gloves, knowing they weren’t supposed to touch the leaf with their bare hands. 

He made eye contact with Sebastian from across the room where he stood with his friends. Vasilis smiled in his direction, and Sebastian smiled back briefly. 

As Vasilis’ eyes turned back to the Rabastan and his assistants, Rabastan pointed his wand at the glass dome above them. He murmured quietly under his breath and slowly the dome began to open. Soon, there was nothing between them and the bright beams of moonlight shining down from the full moon. It was an important part of the process he knew, to perform all steps of the transformation directly in the moonlight. 

Vasilis took a deep breath of the crisp autumn breeze that filled the room, savoring the feel of it in his lungs. They all stood silently as Rabastan and his assistants put on their own dragon hide gloves and picked up four silver containers. 

Rabastan slowly made eye contact with each of the students in the room. “Remember,” he said seriously. “Put this under your tongue and do not swallow it or spit it out at any point in the next month. Be especially careful when you eat or drink. If you do accidentally spit out the leaf or swallow it, let me know immediately and you will have to start over during the next full moon. Do not lie or try to hide it. If you do, it will only delay you further. You have each read the books so you understand the importance of this first step. We must be transparent and honest in this class. Am I clear?” 

“Yes Professor Lestrange,” the students said clearly. 

“Good,” he nodded. “Now, if any of you would like to drop the class, I will offer another opportunity to do so now without any consequences. As I have said before, this is complicated and dangerous magic. No one here will ever be forced to continue if you feel uncomfortable. I would rather have you drop the course than make a mistake and get hurt in the process.” 

He paused for a moment and waited for students to step forward and drop the course. When no one stepped forward, Rabastan nodded, “Very well. We will come around and give each of you a mandrake leaf. Make sure you are wearing your gloves. Don’t do anything else until we tell you to.” 

Vasilis and those near him each took a leaf from the silver container Rabastan held out to them. Vasilis held it gently, but just firm enough so it wouldn’t blow away in the wind. He waited patiently until each student picked their own leaf from one of the silver containers. 

Rabastan then cast a _ tempus _spell to check the time. Noticing they had exactly one minute until midnight he ordered, “Take out your wands. Remember the incantation.” 

Vasilis shifted the leaf into his left hand so he could use his right to cast the spell. The students watched silently as the clock counted down. 

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. 

“Now,” Rabastan said clearly. 

Vasilis placed the leaf under his tongue, wincing at the bitter taste. He then pointed his wand at his chest and incanted clearly with the rest of the class, _ “Amato Animo Animato Animagus.” _

He briefly felt a shift in the air, but it was gone before he could even process what it was. He placed his wand back into its holster and glanced around at the rest of the students. Some were making faces at the terrible taste of the mandrake leaves, while others simply looked excited to have started the process.

Rabastan smiled and linked his hands behind his back. “Congratulations,” He said, “You have each begun the process of becoming an animagus. However, this was the easiest part. We will gather ingredients for the potion over the next few weeks. Hopefully everything will be prepared for the next step. As long as we have a clear night for the next full moon, we will be able to complete the potion.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my Animagus training process might look a little different than cannon, but I am going to keep it mostly the same. I think it's interesting so I don't really see a reason to change it.
> 
> Also, be sure to check out my fanfiction tumblr page @houseofbadplaces for sneak peeks of future chapters for this book! I will be posting one for chapter four in the next day or so! You can also direct message me on tumblr if you have any questions. 
> 
> Thanks for being such great readers. I really appreciate every single one of you. I love reading your feedback.


	4. Old Manticores, Pranks and Adoptions

“Good morning everyone.”

The students all settled into their desks as their Level 6 Charms Professor Criselda Hahn ambled into the room, leaning gently on her blood red walking stick. 

Professor Hahn had quickly become well known for her unique walking stick throughout the Academy. Students always knew she was near when they heard the distinctive clicking sound it made whenever it came into contact with the stone floor. 

Many even called her the ‘Old Manticore’, after the figure carved into the handle. She was an intimidating woman, and as the oldest professor teaching in the Academy she was shown an immense amount of respect. 

Vasilis himself was slightly awestruck by her. She had been a Durmstrang professor for the majority of her life, and even taught Grindelwald himself at one point. She was a powerful witch who could easily hold her own despite her age. He doubted any witch or wizard would be stupid enough to try and duel the experienced professor. 

Once she reached the front of the room, she turned gracefully and tapped her walking stick to the floor. As the clicking sound reverberated through the room, their textbooks all fluttered open to page 387. 

Miles Bletchly, Adrian Paucey, Caecilia, and the twins each looked to him with shocked expressions on their faces. Vasilis simply shrugged, honestly not knowing how she managed to do it. 

“Today you will be working in groups. You will work together to proficiently cast a patronus charm,” she said in a quiet but firm tone. “This is obviously very difficult magic, which is why you will be working together instead of individually. The groups who manage to cast it properly before the end of our next class period will receive extra credit at the end of the year.” 

Vasilis raised his eyebrows in surprise once again. Extra credit? That was almost unheard of from Professor Hahn. 

The class immediately broke off into groups, and Vasilis ended up pairing with Caecilia and Adrian. They levitated their desks over to the sides of the classroom to allow for more room, before spending time discussing the book chapter and practicing the wand movements. 

Ask Vasilis was reading Caecilia leaned over and asked, “Have you found a place for the twins My Prince?” 

He shook his head, “No, but my father is looking into it. I won’t let them live on the streets, don’t worry.” 

She looked over to where the twins were getting scolded by Professor Hahn for not focusing on their works. “They are my best friends,” she sighed quietly. 

“I won’t let anything happen to them Caecilia,” Vasilis replied honestly. 

“Thank you My Prince.” 

Surprisingly enough, the twins were the first to cast their Patronus spells correctly. They smiled gleefully as their hyena’s ran circles around Professor Hahn. Professor Hahn smiled ever so slightly as she shuffled over and patted them both gently on the cheek. 

Vasilis congratulated them before returning to his own group to practice. After attempting to cast the spell unsuccessfully with several different happy memories, he sighed and leaned against the stone wall of the classroom. 

Professor Hahn noticed and hobbled over to him. He looked up as he heard the telltale tapping sound getting closer. “No no,” she said as she tapped the wall with her walking stick. “Stand up straight.” 

He did. She looked at him with intelligent eyes as she told him, “Don’t be afraid. Let the happiness fill you.  _ You  _ are the only thing standing in your way.” 

Vasilis stood tall. Feeling more confident than before, he concentrated hard on his happiest memory. He vividly remembered chanting in latin as they worked to bring his father back. He focused on the feeling of his father’s arms, his  _ real  _ arms, wrapping around him for the first time he could remember. He let that feeling of relief and comfort fill him as he murmured the incantation. 

Suddenly a blinding light burst forth from his wand and a figure began to take shape. A long snake began to slither through the room before it settled across Professor Hahn’s shoulders. It butted her chin several times before fading from existence. 

“See,” she said simply as she gently patted his cheek. 

* * *

_ Vasilis,  _

_ Your mother and I discussed the dilemma regarding the twins. After much thought, your mother thought it would be a wise decision to approach Severus and Rodolphus about a potential adoption. Severus and Rodolphus both wanted children prior to the fall of the Dark, though they obviously never had the opportunity to adopt or enlist the help of a surrogate.  _

_ Your mother recently met with them for tea and brought up the possibility. Severus was hesitant, but Rodolphus was thrilled by the idea. Your mother told them to think it over for as long as they needed, but earlier yesterday morning I received a letter saying they would be happy to provide a home for the twins. However, they would like for you to discuss it with the twins before hand to test the waters. Meet with the twins and bring up the adoption. If they agree, Severus and Rodolphus would like to meet with them privately to discuss it further.  _

_ Love,  _

_ Father _

Vasilis barely kept the grin from spreading across his face as he finished the letter. This was more than he could have hoped for. At most, he thought a Dark family might take in the twins as wards. An actual adoption was far better. 

He fed Azrael a piece of bacon as he read over the letter a second time. His raven nibbled at his hair before flying from the Great Hall. Draco leaned over and tried to read the letter. “I hate when you guys write in Parseltongue,” he sighed. “What is this about? Or is it a secret?” 

Vasilis cast a privacy ward around them both before explaining everything that had happened recently regarding the twins. 

“So Severus and Rodolphus are going to adopt them?” Asked Draco with a dropped jaw. 

“Maybe,” Vasilis emphasised. “If the twins are open to it anyways.” 

Draco rolled his eyes. “Of course they will say yes. They love Rodolphus. Plus they enjoy potions, I’m sure they will get along fine with Severus. This is brilliant.” 

“I hope you are right,” Vasilis replied honestly before taking down the ward. 

He folded up the letter and tucked it into his pocket before turning back to his breakfast. He barely brought his glass of pumpkin juice to his mouth before a loud bang sounded through the hall. Vasilis along with half of the students were on their feet with their wands out before the sound stopped echoing through the room. 

They all pointed their wands towards the head table and waited for the thick blanket of smoke to fade. It took several seconds, but by the time it disappeared almost every student was on the ground laughing hysterically. 

Vasilis blinked slowly as he took in the sight before him. There were two Severus Snapes at the head table. Though one  _ was _ the real Severus, and one wasn’t.

The real Severus was grinning smugly from where he sat next to Rodolphus, while the other was sitting in Sirius Black’s usual seat looking rather put out. 

Vasilis felt the laughter bubble up in his chest, and soon enough he was leaning on the Arrowedge table to prevent himself from falling down with the rest of the students. 

He had heard rumors of the ongoing prank war between Severus and Sirius Black, but this was the first time he had ever witnessed one of their pranks in person. 

Sirius stood from the head table with a straight face and danced ridiculously from the hall, looking like their favorite potions master the whole while. Severus, upon realizing it probably wasn’t a good idea to turn Sirius into his look alike for the day, grimaced. 

Rodolphus laughed uproariously with the rest of the hall and even Headmaster Black was chuckling quietly. 

Eventually Headmaster Black raised his hands, “Alright, alright now. Calm down everyone.” 

Vasilis and Draco pulled themselves back into their seats. Draco wiped tears from his eyes as he said, “I need to save that memory in a pensive.” Vasilis nodded in agreement as he fixed his uniform. 

After everyone settled down, Headmaster Black stood and made a gesture to quiet everyone. “I have an announcement to make before you leave for class,” he said. “As you all know, the end of October is approaching quickly. The Academy is a strong advocate for magic and magical traditions. In order to continue our wizarding traditions and pass them onto the next generation, we will be hosting an event to celebrate Samhain.” 

Vasilis raised his eyebrows in surprise. This was new. 

“All classes will be canceled for Samhain,” Headmaster Black continued. “No one is required to attend, though it is highly recommended. Dark, Neutral, and Light witches and wizards are welcome. While Samhain is especially important to Dark magic practicers, Neutral and Light witches and wizards have also been known to participate throughout history. Your heads of houses will sit down and explain all of this to you in further detail later this evening. After speaking with your head of house, you must inform them on whether or not you wish to attend.” 

* * *

“Bloody hell that hurt,” Alecto groaned as they dragged themselves up the stairs and into Fireclaw tower. 

“Agreed,” Daphne muttered darkly. 

Blaise just shook his head, “Why did we sign up for Weaponry again?” 

“Because the Order of the Phoenix wants us dead,” Daphne replied matter-of-factly. “And I like living.”

“Right.” 

“I swear to Merlin I’m going to strangle Dumbledore with my bare hands,” Maddison said with conviction. 

They stumbled through the entryway of the common room and almost ran directly into Adrian Paucey. 

“Hey guys,” He said. “Professor Lestrange is going to be here soon to talk about Samhain.”

Daphne closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh, “Do we at least have time for a shower?” 

“Probably not,” Adrian admitted with a sympathetic grimace. 

“Someone is going to die,” she murmured as she flopped onto a nearby sofa. 

Blaise sat down next to her with a little more grace, though he was feeling just as irritated. All he wanted was a shower and a hot meal. He was absolutely starving after spending the last few hours learning how to fight with a spear. 

Jasper hopped down the steps of the boys dorm with a grin on his face. He was freshly showered and wearing clean black robes. 

Daphne saw him and glared, “How in the  _ hell  _ did you manage to get back here so quickly and shower?” 

“I’m not as slow as the rest of you,” he sighed as he examined his fingernails. 

“That’s it,” Daphne growled. “I know who I’m killing.” 

She moved to stand, but Blaise pushed her back down with little effort. “Relax Daphne.” 

Lyla came up behind Jasper and smacked him on the back of the head. “Play nice.” 

“Yes mother,” he smirked as he pulled Lyla down to sit next to him. 

Maddison sighed dramatically and pretended to swoon, “Ahhh, young love.” 

Lyla reached over and smacked her on the back of the head too. 

Before Maddison could retaliate, their Head of House stepped through the entrance to the common room. 

With a curt wave of his wand, Professor Lestrange conjured a comfortable looking chair. Students scrambled to find empty spaces on the black leather sofas while others ran up to the dorms to tell their friends the meeting was starting. 

Professor Lestrange waited patiently as the rest of the Fireclaw students joined them in the common room. 

“Good evening everyone,” he said once everyone was settled. “As you are all aware, I am here to discuss the upcoming Samhain celebration."

"Why are we celebrating Samhain?" Ron asked suddenly from Blaise’s left. "Why not Halloween? It's more inclusive."

"We are not muggles Mr. Weasley. We have been celebrating Samhain for thousands of years. Even muggles celebrated at one point in their own history. Are we to just forget our culture simply because a few disagree? That's not how the world works Mr. Weasley."

"Samhain is evil," he contested. "It's dark."

"Dark and evil are not the same thing," Professor Lestrange chided. "You are attending a school that teaches all kinds of magic. You should know this by now. Do you know the purpose of Samhain?"

Ron's mouth opened and closed several times, but said nothing. 

"I will tell you," Professor Lestrange crossed his legs. "Samhain is a time to honor the dead, especially loved ones who have passed. The veil between our world and theirs is thinnest during Sahmain, so we use that opportunity to honor them. It is also a time for cleansing ourselves as summer ends and winter begins. Samhain represents the ending of the yearly cycle. It represents death, yes, but after death comes rebirth Mr. Weasley.” 

Ron again said nothing, though his cheeks were slightly pink. 

“You have been told things your entire life that are not true Mr Weasley,” Professor Lestrange. "I would recommend reading about wizarding traditions if I were you. There is an excellent section of the library dedicated to the subject."

After a very long moment, Ron finally nodded. 

Blaise raised his eyebrows in surprise. Ron just…  _ agreed,  _ with Rodolphus Lestrange of all people? He didn't know what to think. 

A girl sitting near the back of the room raised her hand. A half blood named Ellie,

"Professor Lestrange, what do we  _ do  _ exactly during Samhain?" 

"We begin our evening with a feast, where we then leave empty places at our tables for our loved ones who have passed on to join us. Afterwards, we will spend the rest of our evening outside on the grounds. We will each step through a cleansing fire, before writing letters to our deceased loved ones and burning them so that they may read them in the afterlife. You will have time for reflection, as well as time to celebrate the end of the calendar."

"And are there any rules?" She asked. 

"Not necessarily," He said. “Though it is recommend you wear black. There will not be a curfew and you are free to leave the event whenever you wish, though once you leave you must return to the common rooms. And oh, one more thing... ” Professor Lestrange gestured for the Fireclaw prefects, Valerie Westheimer and Cesario Stassi to bring three wooden crates to the center of the room. 

Blaise leaned forward to catch a glimpse of what was in the crates. In the first he saw long black candles. In the second he noticed orange bands, and in the third, purple bands.

Rodolphus stood and leaned on his cane for support as he moved to stand before the crates. He picked up an orange band as well as a purple one. 

“Orange represents many things during Samhain. Chief among them are strength, positive energy, and encouragement. Purple represents spirituality, wisdom, and intuition. Those who wish to attend should wear a purple band on one arm and an orange band on the other. Both colors, as well as the color black are important during Samhain.” 

He then picked up one of the candles from the last crate. “Black candles offer protection and are used to banish negativity. We will burn them as we walk down from the Great Hall to the grounds so that we may reflect on the past year. Those of you who wish to attend should take one of each arm band and one candle. Do not lose them, for you will continue to use them during Samhain throughout your time here at the Academy. I suspect the objects will become rather important to you.” 

Students formed a line behind the crates and waited for an opportunity to choose their objects. 

Blaise noticed Ron standing hesitantly off to the side of the common room, so when it was his turn he made sure to pick up two of each item.

He then made his way over to Ron and handed him two colored arm bands and one black candle. Ron looked shocked as he accepted the items from Blaise. 

Blaise looked him in the eye and said honestly, “I hope you will join us Weasley. I know for certain your ancestors used to participate in Samhain along with the rest of us. If you have a deceased family member you wish to say something to… well, this would be the perfect time to do it.” 

Without waiting for a response, Blaise turned and rejoined his confused looking friends. He didn’t particularly care whether or not Weasley joined them, but he knew the Dark’s success hinged upon people like Ron practicing the Old Traditions. Blaise’s loyalty was to the Dark and the Dark family after all. 

* * *

Theo watched curiously as Hermione Granger picked up her candle and arm bands. He hadn’t expected her to participate, but as the muggles always say, the more the merrier. 

Granger approached their Head of House Kayaan Acharya, who was standing off to the side of the room with his hands linked behind his back. Professor Acharya eyed Granger with his never changing calm expression as she asked him several questions. 

Theo watched curiously as their Head of house pointed his wand at one of the many bookshelves and summoned a tattered brown leather book. She took it and thanked him before skipping over to the table occupied by Theo, Livia, Ateius, Cyprian, and their two new American friends Miles Carter and Izabella Ashworth. 

Theo raised an eyebrow as she stood before him and asked, “May I sit?” 

Feeling curious, he waved his hands, “By all means.” 

“I want to learn about the Old Magical Traditions,” she said. “I figured you would be the best people to ask for help.”

“And why should we help you?” Theo asked.

“I almost forgot you were a Slytherin,” she muttered. “What do you want?” 

“That is a very dangerous question to ask someone like myself,” he replied in an amused tone.

“What do you want?” She asked again a little more forcefully. 

_ She’s desperate,  _ Theo realized. He pretended to think for a long moment as he tapped his fingers on the table. “A favor,” he said. 

“What  _ kind  _ of favor?” She asked, looking concerned. 

“A reasonable favor, but there is a catch,” Theo said. “The favor isn’t for me. It’s for Vasilis Slytherin.” 

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, “Is there anything you wouldn’t do for him?”

“No. Now do you want to accept the deal or not?” Theo looked at her expectantly. 

She chewed on her lip. “What constitutes as ‘reasonable’.” 

“Nothing illegal. Nothing that would harm you. Something of equal weight to the favor you are asking of us.” 

She thought for a long while before nodding. “Okay, you have a deal.” 

Theo felt giddy as he shook her hand. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to think that Sirius spent the day canceling Snape's potions classes and handing out ridiculous detentions, but that's just me.
> 
> BTW feedback is appreciated. It helps motivate me to write more often, so please leave comments below! Thank you guys for the support.


	5. Samhain

Ron supported his head with his hand as he picked at his breakfast. As usual he was in a foul mood. He was exhausted from all of the studying he had to do in order to perform well in his classes. Cyprian had been helping him as of late, but that didn’t reduce his study time. 

He looked up as Hermione slid into the seat across from him. “Hey,” he said as he continued picking at his food. 

She rolled her eyes and poured him a cup of coffee. “Drink,” she ordered. 

He sighed as he took the cup and began sipping the bitter liquid. He didn’t like coffee, but at least it kept him from falling asleep during breakfast. 

Hermione cast a privacy charm around them both. “I think we should go to the Samhain celebration,”

Ron shook his head in surprise, “I don’t think it is a good idea. Don’t forget what we were sent here to do.” 

She chewed on her lip for a moment. “Don’t you think it would be a good idea to learn more about their traditions? The more we know about them, the easier it will be to win. Besides, Theo and Livia have been teaching me about the Old Traditions. I don’t think they are as bad as we have been told in the past.” 

“Are you suggesting we just accept it?” Ron asked incredulously. 

“No! Well, maybe. I don’t know.” 

“We follow Dumbledore Hermione,” he reminded her as he gripped his coffee cup.

She threw up her hands. “Ron we have been here for almost two months and I have learned more than I did in my entire first year at Hogwarts. You and I both know this school is superior to Hogwarts. There is nothing wrong with how things are done here.” 

“They teach Dark Magic.” 

“They also teach Light Magic,” Hermione pointed out. “And as far as I can tell, Dark Magic isn’t as bad as we probably think.” 

Ron huffed and looked down at the steaming cup in his hands. “How are we going to win a war against people who train to fight every day.” 

“Have you ever considered that maybe Dumbledore was wrong? Hermione asked. 

“No!” Ron said immediately. He shook his head, “He’s Dumbledore. He is never wrong.” 

“I don’t know about that Ron. If the stories are true, Dumbledore took Vasilis from his parents shortly after birth. How is that right?” 

“He did what he had to do,” Ron said, not meeting her eyes. “He needed to win the war.” 

“Well he won alright,” she said with a sign. “Just don’t forget that history is always written by the victors. I don’t know if we are on the right side Ron. Besides, I don’t think Dumbledore will be winning this time. The Dark has another leader now.” 

They both looked over to where Vasilis Slytherin sat at the Arrowedge table with his back to the wall. Vasilis watched over the Great Hall like a king. Ron noticed the way his crimson eyes constantly scanned the room, observing everything. He wasn’t sure how they could win against someone who had an entire school wrapped around his finger. Vasilis was also the most skilled and powerful wizard he had ever met. Ron felt suffocated whenever Vasilis was near simply from the weight of his magic. 

“If Vasilis is this powerful, can you imagine how powerful the Dark Lord will be when he returns?” Hermione said. 

Ron had been thinking the same thing, but he didn’t voice his thoughts. He didn’t want to think about what they were up against. 

Hermione picked up a piece of toast. “Dumbledore barely won the last war. In fact, he only won because he kidnapped Vasilis as a baby. What lengths will Dumbledore go to this time in order to win? I don’t know if I want to be part of whatever he is planning.” 

* * *

Vasilis sat comfortably in a chair near the fireplace in his dorm room. His legs were stretched out in front of him as he twirled his yew wand in his hand. He stared into the fire, waiting for Draco to arrive with the twins. 

They were going to bring up the potential adoptions with the twins. Vasilis hoped they would agree. He knew Rodolphus and Severus would take excellent care of them. He doubted there was anyone else more suitable for the job. 

Several minutes later he heard a knock on the door. He waved his hand, opening it wandlessly.

Draco and the twins entered the room together. He noticed the way the twins shifted nervously. He could tell they suspected he was meeting them to talk about their living situation. They were worried he hadn’t found a place for them. 

“Have a seat,” he told them. 

Draco sat beside him in one of the chairs while the twins sat beside one another on the sofa. 

“I have good news,” he told them immediately. He didn’t want them to worry any longer than necessary. “My father has found a couple who would like to take you in, as their sons.” 

The twins looked at one another with wide eyes before turning back to Vasilis. “You mean an adoption?” Fred asked. 

Vasilis nodded, “Yes, an adoption.” 

“Who are they My Prince?” 

“Severus and Rodolphus,” he said with a smile. 

“Really?” George breathed. His hands were clenched tightly on his knees.

“Really,” Vasilis confirmed. “Though it is entirely your choice if you would like to go through with it.”

“We want to go through with it,” They said simultaneously with the brightest smiles Vasilis had ever seen. 

Without warning, they pounced from across the room and enveloped Vasilis in a tight hug. Vasilis was shocked to find his arms suddenly full of redheads, but he was even more surprised to find being hugged didn't bother him as much as it used to. 

After they released him he awkwardly cleared his throat and fixed his clothing. “Excellent. Severus and Rodolphus would like to speak with you before any concrete plans are made for the adoption ritual. However, we were thinking it would be appropriate to complete the ritual during the Yule holiday.” 

“When can we speak with them?” George asked. 

“You can speak to them now if you would like. They are anxiously waiting down in their private quarters to hear how our conversation went.” 

The twins nearly jumped to their feet in nervous anticipation. Vasilis gestured to his fireplace and picked up a jar of floo powder from the mantle. “Here, this way you don’t have to walk all the way there.” 

The twins paused momentarily, and Fred asked, "Is there anything our parents can do? You know, to stop the adoption?" 

Vasilis shook his head, "No. My father now has enough employees in the ministry to prevent any backlash. Even if your parents put up a fight, nothing will come of it." 

They each sent him a grateful smile before they grabbed a handful and disappeared in a flash of green flame. Vasilis looked over at Draco, who smiled happily, “That went well.” 

Vasilis laughed, “I agree.” 

“You are doing the right thing, you know,” Draco pointed out. “They will be much happier now.” 

Vasilis slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “I know.” 

* * *

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” 

Vasilis looked up from his conversation with Felix.

His grandfather stood before them wearing black dress robes made of the finest materials. He lifted his hands and one by one the torches on the stone walls began to dim. The silver Black family pendant hanging around the headmaster’s neck glinted in the torchlight as he took several steps closer to the students. 

His voice was quiet as he spoke, but still audible, “Tonight we will honor those we have lost. It doesn’t matter if you are a Dark, Light, or Neutral witch or wizard. Each of us has a name of someone we miss etched into our minds. It sits there, always present. Some days it is more noticeable than others. Sometimes it feels like a painful, heavy weight, and sometimes the memories bring happiness to our hearts.”

The headmaster spread his arms, “Tonight is an opportunity for each of you to pay your respects to your loved ones who have passed. It is an opportunity for you to let go of any sadness you may feel, and reflect on your own lives. After tonight, I hope you go to bed feeling much lighter. Let the feast begin."

Mountains of delicious food appeared on the stone tables and students hurried to dig in. 

A sixth table had been set up in front of the professor's table. It was also covered with food, but the places around the table were empty. It was meant to be a way for their deceased loved ones to join them for the feast. 

Vasilis noticed how happy many of the students looked. It was clear they were excited to celebrate Samhain as a group. He couldn't blame them, he was just as excited as they were. And despite what many witches and wizards think, Samhain wasn't a dour, depressing holiday. It was a celebration. 

Vasilis smiled as Draco went on about something he learned in ancient runes. They talked as they ate their fill, and soon enough students were standing up from their house tables. They all put on their orange and purple bands before taking out their candles. 

Students left the Great Hall and lined up in the castle's entry hall. They lit their candles using their wands and slowly followed the professors outside through the castle's giant wooden doors. 

Vasilis noticed his inner circle slowly gravitating towards him as they walked. It wasn't long before he was surrounded by them, and he had to suppress a smile. They always preferred being near him. 

They walked slowly and quietly through the castle's courtyard. The air was crisp in their lungs as they went. They passed through the forest until they reached an open clearing. 

The moon was bright here, Vasilis noticed. They could easily see their surroundings. 

The professors stopped, and Vasilis observed curiously as Rodolphus and Severus each conjured two enormous rune covered branches. They chanted together in Latin, and he watched as the branches grew out of the leaf covered ground. They stretched towards the sky, before curving inward towards each other and meeting. The two branches wrapped tightly around one another before they stopped moving all together. 

Rodolphus and Severus stepped backwards and rejoined the professors, while Headmaster Black stepped forward. 

He pointed his wand at the runic arch and murmured something Vasilis couldn't hear. 

The students, including Vasilis all stumbled back as the arch roared to life. The ground shook, and purple flames burned through the carved runes of the arch. 

"What the hell," he heard Alecto swear. 

Soon enough, the entire structure was smoldering with purples flames. And even though they were standing close to it, Vasilis couldn't feel any heat.

He let out the breath he had been holding, and adjusted his robes. It was awe inspiring, he had to admit. He had never seen anything like it in his life. 

The Headmaster lowered his wand and turned to face the students, some of which were muttering to one another, "Silence."

Everyone ceased talking immediately. Headmaster Black smiled, "Don't be afraid children. This is the cleansing fire, an important part of tonight's festival. It cannot hurt you. In order to cleanse your soul, you must step through the fire and cross over. You will feel great joy and enlightenment after doing so."

Most of the students seemed hesitant, so Vasilis set his shoulders back and stepped forward. It was only appropriate that he should go first. 

He stopped just before he reached the arch. He waited momentarily as the flames reached for him. The flames were beckoning him forward, encouraging him to let go. 

And he did. 

Vasilis stepped into the dark flames, and he barely heard the gasps behind him as he was swallowed whole. 

It did burn, he noticed instantly. But it wasn't a painful burn, it was comforting. It reminded him of the hot sun on a summer day. 

He felt it go through him and right to his core. He felt it burn away all of his fears, his hesitations, and negative thoughts. His bad memories faded into nothing, and he was left with only a profound sense of peace. 

When he emerged from the flames, he collapsed onto his knees, gasping for breath. His normally neat hair fell across his forehead. 

Vasilis grinned. He felt… amazing. It was the only word he could think of. His brain was foggy and relaxed. It was a new sensation for him. 

After a moment, he stood and noticed everything looked brighter and more intense. He tipped his head towards the sky, and he could have sworn the stars were hovering just above the trees. 

A great bonfire glowing orange before him. This, he could tell, was actual fire. He could feel the comforting heat even standing so far away. 

Vasilis suddenly heard a gasp and a thump behind him, and he turned to find Draco there on his knees, trying to catch his breath. 

Vasilis smiled again. Of course Draco would be the first to follow him through. 

Then it was Blaise. 

Felix, Alecto, the twins, Neville, Daphne, Theo, Cygnus, Caecilia, Livia, Cyprian, Cedric, and Aetius weren't far behind 

They all looked giddy when they finally rose to their feet after stepping out of the fire. 

No words were spoken between them, but Vasilis felt something different. 

He felt their connection, the one that had formed between their magic and his over the years. He could feel their happiness, their joy at being able to serve him. He felt their unyielding confidence in his abilities, and inturn, they felt his unbreakable trust in them. 

They stood facing each other, each of them grinning and basking in connection. 

Soon other students started to join them and they blinked slowly, as if emerging from a dream. They were no longer oblivious to their surroundings, but Vasilis could still feel the connection. It was a strong, constant force. He knew it would always be there, even if he couldn't feel it. 

Vasilis and the others watched as students emerged from the purple fire, each of them falling to their knees after doing so. 

He was surprised to see Hermione Granger step through the flames. She was one of the last students to cross over. The magic appeared to have a strong impact on her, for she spent several minutes trying to catch her breath. 

Ron Weasley was the last student to emerge from the flames. He looked absolutely shocked as he fell to the ground next to Hermione, as if he couldn't believe he was still alive. 

Vasilis raised an eyebrow, only vaguely wondering who managed to convince the youngest Weasley boy to participate in a 'Dark' holiday. 

The thought faded from his mind almost as quickly as it appeared, however. He was too preoccupied by the peaceful feeling thrumming through his veins. 

The professors followed Ron through the arch, with Headmaster Black being the last. 

After the headmaster recovered, he flicked his wand and a soft, rhythmic music began to play. The purple fire faded away, leaving the runic arch behind, while the bonfire in the middle of the clearing flared different colors. At first it was orange, then yellow, red, gold, purple, blue, and green. 

It continued changing as the headmaster spoke, "For those of you who wish to do so, now is the time to speak with your deceased loved ones." Rodolphus conjured a large table covered in pieces of parchment, quills, and ink. "Write a letter to someone you miss. Drop it in the bonfire, and your loved one shall receive it in the afterlife."

Most students approached the table, even Ron and Hermione. Vasilis didn't have any deceased family members he wanted to write to, so instead he sat down on the ground with his back to a large oak tree. 

He observed silently, peacefully, as his inner circle wrote letters and dropped them into the fire. He noticed a few of them shed tears, but they didn't appear to be tears of sadness. They were happy to finally be able to communicate with their loved ones who had passed on. 

The letters turned to ash within seconds of being thrown into the fire. The ash floated upwards into the sky, and Vasilis watched as the ashes mixed with the stars. 

Beautiful, he couldn't help but think. 

He closed his eyes, and allowed the music to fill him as he meditated. There was dark magic everywhere tonight. 

He opened his eyes when he heard someone sit beside him against the tree. It was Felix, he noticed. The rest of his inner circle joined shortly after, spreading out on the grass around him. 

They stayed there meditating silently until the sky began to turn pink with the dawn. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it has been awhile and I am sorry about that. This chapter was difficult to write, and I kind of lost inspiration for this fic for awhile. I'm starting to look into it again and I hope you guys stick around!!!
> 
> Thank you all!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again for sticking around for this book. Please leave feedback! I always read every single comment even if I don't always have the time to respond to each one.


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